1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to live bait apparatus having an extensible loop device. More specifically the present invention is directed to the inventive combination of a bait loading arrangement in which an extensible loop is drawn tightly over the head end of an eel that is being held in a bait container. The loop draws close to the handle to allow the handle to manipulate the eel for loading onto a conventional curved barb fish hook, thereafter to be released, all without manually handling the slippery skin of the eel.
2. Background Prior Art
Applicant is aware of prior loop arrangements. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,514 to Ramsey shows a rounded head section 15, FIG. 1, having curved surfaces that are pressed against the body of an animal. A snake is shown in the drawing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,052 to Wood shows a cable 12, FIG. 1, that has a free end which is used to manually tighten a loop 11. (A locking mechanism having a ball ramp arrangement locks the cable into a desired position.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,408 to Aberg shows an animal trap comprising a tubular body with a protective material casing having a spring located in the body which is attached to a snare located outside of the body. The contraction of the spring is controlled by a trap setting mechanism including a release arm and the spring is released to contract and move the snare towards the body when the animal treads on the release arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,616,123 to Armstrong shows an elongated barrel, a plunger reciprocally mounted in said barrel, a handle affixed to said plunger at its outer end, said barrel having a lateral opening adjacent its inner end, a plate having a pair of outwardly extending diametrically opposed ears affixed to and surrounding the barrel adjacent the inner end thereof, a bracket removably attached to said ears and having a slot centrally disposed therein, a blade affixed to said bracket and extending outwardly in the same direction as the longitudinal axes of said barrel and said plunger, a snare loop extending through the lateral opening in the barrel and having a stop head outwardly of said opening and attached at its other end to the inner end of said plunger, said loop adapted to extend through said slot in said bracket in parallel relation and adjacent to said blade when the same is affixed to said plate, and a latch for maintaining said plunger in selected positions relative to said barrel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,653 to Davies shows a humane animal trap having a snare with a formed loop having ends which pass through a hollow telescoping system. The telescoping means is comprised of a main barrel connected to the loop, a slave barrel within the main barrel, and a working barrel within the slave barrel. The barrels are biased in an extended position by a spring which is connected between the main barrel and working barrel. A trigger prevents extension of the barrels and is selectively held in position by a trip.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,119 to Hare et al. shows a snare comprised of an elongated two-part stiff shank or stem member to be manually grasped single-handedly at the proximate end and having a flexible extension portion at the distal end. A traveler member carrying latch means slides along the stiff portion between the distal end and the handle portion. At the extreme or outer end of the flexible portion is a snaring strand having a ring-like member adapted to encircle and slidably move along both the flexible and rigid portions of the snare. The ring-like member may engage and be retained by the latch means on the traveler member. When the flexible snaring strand is tensed as when the ring-like member is drawn toward the proximate end of the shank or stem portion, the flexible portion of the shank is bowed and energy is stored to be employed when a snaring operation is to be performed. When the ring-like member is released or and cast outward and around an object such as a fish or snake or animal about which the snare is placed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,959 to Harris discloses a snare for attachment to a floating object, such as a torpedo, comprising a cable loop urged toward closed position by an extensible spring, and a removable pole having abutments for retaining the spring compressed until the loop is disposed around the object.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,527 to Wicklund discloses an animal trap and ball detent trigger means. The trap is of shaft and block construction with the cable carrying block spring biased toward one end of the shaft. The plunger and a trigger member are spring biased in a home set position. The disturbance of the trigger member from its home position causes the trigger to rock in its conical recess and thereby apply a reciprocating lateral force to the plunger releasing the detaining force of the balls from the cable block.
A review of the prior art indicates use of spring loading or loops that tighten onto the loop itself. Contrary to the teachings of the prior art, all of which rely on mechanical biasing which could be harmful to bait fish by crushing their necks, the current invention avoids spring loading and its tendency to apply too much pressure onto the eel used as the live bait.
A common problem of fishing with live bait is immobilizing the bait fish, typically by physically holding the bait by hand, while loading it on a barbed hook. This problem becomes acute when using a live eel, typically having a length of 6" to 8", as bait, due to the slimy film typically encountered on its skin. This slimy film renders it often nearly impossible to immobilize the eel by hand, not to mention the unpleasant aspect of grappling with a wriggling eel. Notwithstanding this, eels have long been prized as bait, particularly for large striped bass. The problem with using eels for bait is that, in their natural condition, their skin is coated with slime, permitting them to wiggle free from most attempts to hold them for baiting a hook. Not only is it difficult to handle them, but for many fishermen and particularly fisher women, it is also repulsive. To many fishermen, the prospect of grappling with a slimy serpentine eel is decidedly unpleasant, so much so that too often an artificial eel is employed for the ease of use, with the result that no fish is caught.
Accordingly, there is a need in the live bait art for a new and improved arrangement for live bait loading in which an extensible loop is drawn tightly over the head end of a bait fish to provide for immobilizing the bait fish, typically by remotely holding the bait by a yoke member, while loading it on a barbed hook, which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of prior art.